What it means
To splurge is to spend more than you usually would on something that feels nice, indulgent, or a bit unnecessary, and do it on purpose. You can splurge on dinner, clothes, a trip, or anything that makes your bank app wince while your soul does a little happy dance. It also works as a noun for the treat itself.
Usage examples
"Got paid Friday and splurged on a stupidly fancy takeaway and fresh kicks, now it’s beans on toast till payday, cheers to my choices."
"I got my bonus so I splurged on a fancy weekend away."
"We do not eat out often, but tonight we are splurging."
"I was meant to buy one candle and somehow splurged on the massive one that smells like a rich auntie's hallway."
"We've been grafting all month, so yeah, we're splurging on decent seats and overpriced snacks."
Where it comes from
Splurge turns up in American English in the early 1800s. Early on it could mean a flashy show, a burst of fuss, or a show-off display. Later it slid into the spending sense, meaning an indulgent blowout purchase or a bit of treat-yourself money chaos, which is the meaning that stuck.
Other ways to say it
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